The Syrian Media Academy held a forum titled “Journalism 360°: Text, Image and Impact,” highlighting the need to integrate text, visuals and sound to create professional, responsible journalism that resonates with the public.
Speakers discussed the role of imagery in communication and the media’s influence on public opinion, beginning with an analysis of visual reports, including a documentary on the former regime’s shelling of Aleppo and a related SANA news story.
Ziad Al-Mahamid, Director General of SANA, said the traditional rivalry between word and image is “an illusion,” as both complement each other in shaping credible journalism. He noted that print media offers depth and analysis, while visual journalism delivers speed and emotional impact, adding that SANA has achieved a qualitative leap since liberation through advances in digital content and imagery.
Akram al-Ahmad, Director of the Syrian Press Center, emphasized that media credibility rests on accuracy, fairness and clear purpose, warning that the absence of ethical clarity weakens public trust.
Nour al-Din Ismail, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Thawra newspaper, underlined the continuing value of print journalism as an archival record and a space for investigative and analytical work. Participants called for broader coverage of social issues and cultural life in the paper’s upcoming print edition.
